Improvement in washing-machines



2 Sheets--Sheet 2.-

lC. C. SNOW. AWashing- 'Machines.

Patented July 21 I ma 1HE GRAPH lc co. Fuero -L|mvae a 4| FAnK/PLAcgm',

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PATENT OFFICE CHARLES O. SNOW, OF CHILLIOOTHE, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN WASHING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No 153,224, dated July 2l,1874; application filed March 9, 1874.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. SNOW, of Chillicothe, in the county ofLivingston and State of Missouri, have invented a new and valuableImprovement in a Washing-Machine; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the constructionand operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawingsmaking a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures ofreference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a top view of my device.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal sectionof the same. Fig. 4is an end view ofthe same. Fig.` 5 is a sectionalview of three end rollers ofthe wash-board, showin gthefastenin g of thespring-Wire at that end. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the threeopposite end rollers,

showing the mode of fastening the spring-wire at that end, and theattaching of the end roller F. Fig. 7 is an end view of an end roller ofthe wash-board. Fig. 8 is a side view of the same. Fig. 91s a side viewof thesame squared. Fig'. l0 is a top view of the slotted metal plate c.Fig. l1 is an end view of the roller squared. Fig. 12 is a sectionalview of the sliding block, showing the united parts of the same, theguide-frame, the journal-hole, and the annular Washer or bearing inplace. Fig. 13 is a top view of the flattened or chamfered roller,making the vertical spaces between them in the middle of the wash-board.

My invention is an improved Washing-ma chine; and consists in the novelconstruction, arrangement, and operation of the same, for the purpose ofcleansing clothing materials without the Wear, tear, and rubbing usuallyconsequent to such opera-tion by devices used for similar purposes.

The following are the peculiar features embraced in my device: Within asuds-box, consisting of side pieces and strip ends of Wood, to which acurved bottom of suitable sheet metal is secured, is placed an elastic,flexible, and reversible wash-board, notched cleats for adjusting andholding said wash-board, a cylinder of wood and metal, with a smoothlyuted surface and journaled in blocks sliding vertically in the sides ofsaid suds-box, and hoops of strap metal passed along and securing theouter edges of the aforesaid metal bottom, all of which, together withtheir purposes and results, is hereinafter more fully described, andillustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which the same letters designate identical parts of the device in the different figures,respectively.

4 The letter A represents the side pieces of i the suds-box, made ofwood of suitable size and thickness, with their lower edges curvedsemicircularly, as shown by the drawings. To each end of said curvededge of each side piece is fastened a cross piece or strip of wood, B,of ksuitable size and of the same thickness as said side pieces, onevertically and the other inclined outwardly, and both having their topedges flush with those of the said sides, all as shown by the drawings.To the lower edges of said sides, and corresponding with their curves,is fastened the bottom O of the sudsbox, consisting of a properly-sizedsheet of galvanized iron, or other suitably equivalent metal forresisting the action of the suds, the end edges of which, at a in Figs.2 and 3 of the drawings,.are bent and let into slits cut l in the endpieces of they suds-box near and parallel to their lower edges, asindicated, and the whole sheet-piece still further secured in place bynarrow straps b of metal screwed (over and through the said straps andbottom sheet) down tightly upon the aforesaid curved edges of the sidepieces, the whole of the above, sides, ends, and bottom, thus formingthe aforesaid suds-box. Within the said box is hung a wash-board, D,consisting of a series of smooth wooden cylinders of suitable size andlength, each pierced withsmall holes near ends and middle, through eachof which is passed a string of spring-wire, for the purpose of attachingsaid cylinders together and suspending them, as hereinafter described,

within and between the sides and ends of said suds-box. A few of saidcylinders in the middle portion of said wash-board are each flattenedand chamfered on opposite sides,

said chamfering extending from the middle of each roller nearly to itsends, as shown by Figs. 3 and 13, thus making vertical spaces betweensaid cylinders, to allow the suds and any dirty sedimentthereincontained to pass freely through to the bottom of the suds-box.

The aforesaid cylinders may bemade square instead of round, in whichcase the holes through which the spring wires pass are bored throughcornerwise, as shown by Figs. 9 and 11. The strings of spring-wire whichattach the cylinders together are each clinched at one end to theoutermostcylinder E at one of the ends of the series, as shown by Fig.5, and have each the otherend iiattened back into a head, under which isslid a forked or slotted metal plate, c, as shown by Figs. 6 and 10, theprongs of which, slipping underneath the head on each side of the wire,sel eurely fasten the aforesaid parts of the wash` board together.Outside, again, of the cylinder, upon which the said forked plat-esrest, is another roller, F, fastened to the previous one by screws, asshown by Figs. l and 6. The said cylinders E and F have narrow metalferrules on `their ends, and in the axes of the same are short and stoutmetal pins, d, as shown by Figs. 7 and S, by which the whole elastic,iieXible, and reversible washfboard, constructed as aforesaid, issuspended.

The aforesaid wash-board is adjusted in place as follows Upon the innersurfaces of the sides of the suds-box cleats G, as shown by Figs. l and3, are fastened. Each of said cleats has cut int-o its upper edge anydesired number of slots or notches', e, into which the aforesaid pins dare placed, thereby easily adjusting the wash-board in any desiredposition between the bottom of the suds-box and the cylinder H,hereinafter described, for the purpose of conforming the space requiredbetween said wash-board and cylinder to the quantity of clothingmaterials to be cleansed. The cylinder H is also elevated or lowered, ashereinafter shown, for the same purpose. The wash-board can also bereadily turned end for end, if desired. Also, within the suds-box isadjusted a cylinder of wood, or its suitable equivalent, with smoothiiutin gs longitudinally formed upon its periphery, as shown by Fig. 3,and hung upon an axillary shaft, or upon axle-pins journaled ashereinafter described. The letter g represents a winch, by which saidcylinder is made to revolve. The letter f, as shown by Fig. l,represents certain slots cut down the sides of the suds-box, of a widthcorresponding to the thickness of the said sides, commencing on the topedge of each and eX- tending down tto the central point, around whichthe lower curved edge is described, for

purposes hereinafter stated. Upon the upper4 and outer surface of eachofthe two sides of the suds-box is fastened a frame, I, consisting of atop and two side pieces of wood, of any suitable size and thickness, asshown by Figs. 2 and 12. Within this frame is adjusted a compoundsliding block, K k, made of wood in two parts, fastened together, asmore fully shown by Fig. 12. The lower part, K, of said block is justthe thickness of the side pieces ofthe frame, and of` sufficient heightand width to allow it to slide easily up and down between said sidepieces, when desired. The upper part, k, is an upright` 'stud of wood,made square or just the thickness of the sides ofthe suds-box, andfitting with a water-tightjoint in the aforesaid slots cut into them. Itis fastened near its outer and lower end to the upper and inner surfaceof the lower part, K, s'o as toproject beyond said surface, as shown byFig. l2. By this arrangement of the two parts K 7a of the said compoundblock, the upper part is made to slide in its water-tight slot, whilethe lower part moves freely up or down upon the outer surface of thesides of the suds-box, over said slot and between the guide-pieces ofthe frame I, both parts being of just sufficiently corresponding lengthor height to bring the top of the part l.: iiush with the top edge ofthe suds-box, when the top of part K is touching the lower edge of thecross-piece of the aforesaid frame 5 and when the bottom of part' K isslid down -flush with the bottom of said frame the foot of the part kwill be at the bottom of its slot. Through each foot of the part k andthe lower part, K, a hole, m, is bored, the upper curve of which isembraced by the said foot of part 7.2, of sufficient size to receive theends of the axle or the journal-pins of the aforesaid cylinder H.Transversely through each ofthe side pieces of the frame I a suitablehole, and also thro ugh the lower block, K, above and below theaforesaid hole m, two or more corresponding holes are bored, tointroduce the pin o, for the purpose of keeping the sliding block K k,and consequently the cylinder H, at any desired elevation, all of whichis to produce the same result as that heretofore stated with referenceto the wash-board D. The letter a represents an annular washer of sheetmetal, with a hole through its center of the same diameter as theaxle-journals of the cylinder` H. This is slipped and pressed tightlyinto a corresponding annular depression of a depth the same as thethickness of the washer made in the block K, and around said hole m, butof larger diameter, so that the outer surface of the washer may be iiushwith the sliding surface of Vsaid block. These annular disks `answer notonly the purpose of washers, but also of water-tightbearings, in whichthe journals revolve, thereby lessening` the friction, and preventingany rapid wear in the journalholes m. The letter L represents the fourlegs and their cross-pieces, upon which the washing-machine stands. Theletter p represents a plug thrust into a hole in the bottom of thesuds-box, which, being iwithdrawn from said hole, allows the suds toescape; therefore l What I claim as my invention, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

l. The wash-board D, consisting of a series of rods strung uponspring-wire, as shown, and having the pronged plates c and the endcylinders E and` F, provided with axial pins d, as and for the purposesspecified.

2. In combination `with the cleats (lr, provided with the notches c, thewash-board D,

provided with the axial pins d, as and for the u In testimony that Iclaim the above Ihuve PUTDOSGS Specified. hereunto subscribed my name inthe presence 3. The sliding block K k, with its journal# oftwo'witnesses.

holes m. und annular bearings n; Asubstantially us und for the purposesspecified. Y CHARLES C. SNOW.

4. In combination with the sliding blocks K k, the guide-frames I andthe iuted eylin- Witnesses: Y

der H, substantially as and for the purposes ELBRIDGE J. BROADDUS,

specified. JOHN A. NOLAND.

